Ministry approves change of university's name
The Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia has approved the change of the name Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität (WWU) Münster to Universität Münster. The use of the new name will come into force on October 1. The University will publish its updated constitution on its homepage shortly. In the coming weeks and months, the University will be working on a rapid implementation. This will include modifications to the University’s logo and official seal, as well as to further official documents.
The background
The Senate decided on 5 April that the name of Wilhelm II should be removed from the name of the University, which is in future to be known as the University of Münster. The vote taken in the Senate was preceded by a process lasting several years, and which began with an initiative on the part of the students in the Senate in 2018. At that time, the Senate then called on the University management to draw up a “concept for an historically responsible way for the University of Münster (WWU) to deal with Wilhelm II”. In 2020, a working group set up by the Senate, and headed by Münster historian Prof. Olaf Blaschke, came up with a differentiated picture of him.
In order to involve students, employees and the public as intensely as possible in the discussion, the Rectorate, in agreement with the Senate, subsequently initiated a project entitled “The Issue of WWU” which began in 2021. A team led by University Curator Dr. Eckhard Kluth then organised communication and events in various formats. These included for example panel discussions, an exhibition, a short-length film and a radio programme. Anyone interested could inform themselves about the process via the project homepage, as well as contributing their own comments to the discussion.